Paige Summers, Claire Chapman, and their group didn't head straight back to Bloodfall Base, instead choosing to make a stopover at Stoneridge Base.
For one, they happened to catch up to the trucks carrying the laborers just before entering Stoneridge Base.
The situation had been urgent, and with Paige gone, her space was unavailable. Claire couldn't possibly have prepared a large amount of food for them. For the past two days, the laborers had merely been kept from starving; they were far from full. Combined with the hurried journey, they were all listless and in poor shape. Therefore, Claire and Paige decided to stay at Stoneridge Base for a couple of days to at least let them recover a little.
Secondly, Stoneridge Base was very close to their own, so it was a good opportunity to build a relationship.
The last reason was also the most important.
